Painless Wiring total fail or salvageable?

[Johnjan]

I'm at a crossroads with my '68 Camaro RS. I purchased a Painless Wiring harness some time ago and have been installing it over the past several months as time has permitted. The installation has been very frustrating and I think I've reached my limit.

First thing first, when I bought it quite some time ago there was not a lot else on the market and there was not a PW harness for a RS.

I've muscled my way through adapting for a 1 wire high output alternator, and gotten through the maze of relocating gauge wires from the instrument panel to the RS console.



Now, onto the console and I've reached my limit. Long story short, the console originally has a 12 position connector - the PW kit has 5 wires to the console. After reconfiguring the instrument panel gauges to the console there is still no correlation that I can come up with to make it work with the RS console.

Any suggestions? Encouraging words? Creative ideas? Or do I yank the Painful Wiring kit and start over with something else?

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

Check out M&H Fabrications www.wireingharness.com or American Wire. They may have a harness that you need that's just like the factory. Painless is a TOTAL pain.

[class67]

I have a Painless kit in my 67 RS and it was a chore but is in and working fine, although, it was not that painless for me either....If I were closer, i'd help you out.....good luck!

[Mkelcy]

I'm not sure I understand. Between your rerouted gauge wires and the Painless console connector, what inputs do you have going to the console?

[Johnjan]

The painless harness has no console connector or accommodation for an ammeter, fuel gauge, or temp gauge, or the lighting circuits associated with those items.

After relocating the "battery" light and fuel gauge signal wire from the instrument cluster there is no longer any correlation as to how those signals integrate with the gauges. Since Painless does not include schematics, and the color codes from a Coupe do not exactly match that of a RS... ...I gave up.

After a 30 minute conversation I ordered a new harness from American Autowire. I also like the idea of replacing all the connectors rather than splicing Painless' harness into 42 year old connectors.

So now I'm waiting patiently by the door for the UPS man.

[AintQik]

I like AAW for my hot rods, but I used M&H on my 67 RS. I told them I was using a differernt alt, and mounting in on the wrong side and no problem, they whipped me up a harness. I told them I had a factory console but the can originally did not have one and bam, they whipped me up a harness. Pretty painless.

The RS is a bear. However, you can get through it with your Pain(ful) kit. It is nice to have all the right connections though. Just up to you. The harnesses aren't cheap.

AAW is a very nice kit and the one I used for my 50 was well labeled and easy to use if you have the slightest schematic knowledge. I think you will be ok. AAW has a lot of "crimp" connectors. While I used to wire helicopters for the military, I'm pretty anal about connectors and soldered a bunch of mine. The crimps work though. While you are waiting you may want to invest in a good crimper. Ratcheting proper kind. You use that and your connectors will look professional and last a while. You will not find one in an auto parts store. Order it online. Harbor frieght one I picked up locally stinks.

[JRouche]

Hmmm. I might be the one and only that thought the painless harness was painless. I was happy to be able to plug in the large connector to my far from stock steering column. Plugged right in. All the switches on the column work. As far as a super painless, where it will adapt to all the other circuits, like dash or whatever. It wasnt a concern for me because all that stuff is custom anyway.

But I will agree. There are some better harnesses out there. But for me and the 62 it was painless. The column was my biggest scare. And it plugged right in. Everything else was a breeze. Just simple wiring. JR

[Johnjan]

The AAW kit showed up last night. Wow. Very stock appearing and fortunately everything, even the tail light portion was labeled "RS".

Being an original replacement harness, there will no doubt be some changes for the vintage air, electric choke, small cap HEI, etc. At least I'll have a benchmark that matches the factory wiring diagrams to jump off of.

I removed all of the PW kit last night so tonight ought to see some progress in the right direction. I need to hear this thing run... ...soon!

JJ